Thursday, February 5, 2015

Wintertime Musings

I am not a big fan of winter these days.  For a woman who has spent the last 28 years in Edmonton, Alberta, that is saying a lot.  However, I can look at the bright side. It is February, a nice short winter month.  We are on the other side of the winter solstice, so it is getting lighter. Longer days, shorter month- that can only mean one thing- spring really will come, and sooner than later.

In Edmonton, that usually means sometime in April. We cannot really count on March- it never seems to be able to decide what kind of month it wants to be. And, to be honest, even April can be quite finicky. So, while others are finishing with spring, we are usually basking in it in May. Or June.

I can hardly wait!

I wish I could embrace winter as some people I know do. Maybe I am just a coward.  The winter cold here bites at my skin, all the more so because I have rosacea. I do honestly suffer after any time spent in the cold- not just because my skin gets red, but because it also gets so sore. This does not make me want to head out for a brisk morning walk, or a cross country ski venture in the River Valley.

For me, winter means staying in. Period. Trying to stay physically active within the confines of my home.  And failing quite miserably.

There are things that I do embrace about winter in Edmonton. Cozying up in my comfy armchair,  a vanilla chai close at hand, and a good book in my lap. Taking a snow day, watching movies on Netflix, cuddled in a warm throw on the couch in the den. And this year, I have found the long dark cold winter days much more tolerable thanks to this laptop and a desk in my office, where I am beginning to spend more and more time writing.

So, I salute those of you who are able to embrace the winter cold with determination and even pleasure!  I really wish I could!  Perhaps I do need to consider another nest for the winter, far away from all this cold.  In the meantime, I will cocoon in the best way I know how.  And while my body may not appreciate the long hibernation, I can at least use it as a time to get my brain into shape.


2 comments:

  1. Just when I was feeling guilty for watching a movie on Netflix (when I thought there could be so many more 'productive' things I could be doing), you made me feel better. It wasn't time wasting. It was hibernation. Yay! I might try it again. :)

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  2. I will share my guilty secret. I am a cocooner by nature. When the weather is nice, I feel obligated to 'enjoy' it, walk the dog, make the yard pretty, etc. I am secretly relieved when winter comes and I can do just what you described, Kathy - read, drink tea, watch a movie, write, organize the basement, rearrange the furniture... I find there's so much more time in the winter because I don't have to be outside taking advantage of the weather.

    Loved your intro, by the way. You had me laughing out loud!

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